1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to vehicle navigation systems and, more particularly, to generating acoustic route information in a vehicle navigation system.
2. Related Art
Vehicle navigation systems are becoming increasingly popular in the automobile industry. A typical vehicle navigation system includes a global positioning system (“GPS”) receiver that is mounted somewhere on the vehicle. The GPS receiver is capable of communicating with a satellite-based global positioning system or other localized positioning systems. The GPS receiver obtains position information that is converted into some form of display for the vehicle operator indicating the position of the vehicle relative to previously determined reference points or other known landmarks in a given map database.
The typical vehicle navigation system also includes a digital map database module that includes digitized map information that can be processed by a navigation computer designed to handle map-related functions. A map matching module is used to match the position or trajectory measured by a positioning module to a position associated with a location or route on a map provided from the digital map database. The positioning module receives its information from the GPS receiver.
A route planning module is also typically included that is used to help vehicle drivers plan a route prior to or during a trip. A commonly used technique is to find a minimum-travel-cost route, which is designed to minimize the amount of distance traveled and costs associated with reaching a predetermined destination. A route guidance module is also included that is used to guide the driver along the route generated by the route planning module. Guidance can be given, either before the trip, or in real time while en-route. The real time or en-route guidance is typically generated using optical driver recommendations and/or acoustic driver recommendations.
The typical vehicle navigation system also includes a human-machine interface module that provides users with a way to interact with the location and navigation computer and devices. A visual display is typically used to convert signals into a visual image in real time for direct interpretation by the user. As such, displays are used to provide the optical driver recommendations. The display itself is typically an electro-optical device such as a liquid crystal display (“LCD”), a cathode-ray tube (“CRT”) display, an electroluminescent display (“ELD”), a heads-up display (“HUD”), a plasma display panel (“PDP”), a vacuum fluorescent display (“VFD”), or a touch-screen display.
The human-machine interface module may also include a voice-based interface that allows the user to interact with vehicle navigation system. The acoustic driver recommendations are provided using the voice-based interface. Speech is the most common interface that is used for delivering acoustic driver recommendations because it provides a natural interface that does not distract the driver from operating the vehicle and paying attention to the roadway. As such, information provided through acoustic driver recommendations may be safer because it allows the vehicle operator to concentrate on the task of driving.
Travelers using a subway or railway station are typically provided with a short information message about the time of departure and the route of the train. Existing navigation systems for vehicles currently do not provide this functionality. Drivers can ascertain the anticipated time of arrival, the distance to be traveled and the computed route, but the user is not provided with a comprehensive overview of the entire route to be taken. As such, this information does not give the driver any possibility of preparing himself/herself for the route being traveled.
Some navigation systems provide visual route lists that contain all of the official road names of the roads along the route to be taken. Drivers who are not familiar with the surroundings are not in a position to derive even a rough sketch of the route based on the visual route list. The direction of the route must therefore be figured out on a map. Although a map illustration provides a good overview of the direction of the route, it does require the capacity to abstract. Generally, the displays that are used in navigation systems are too small to depict the names of town parts or road structures. As such, a need exists for a way to provide drivers with an overview of the route being taken to reach a predetermined destination.
A navigation system capable of providing an acoustic route overview message summarizing a route to a predetermined destination is disclosed. The navigation system includes a route calculation module, a route overview module and an acoustic message module. The route calculation module is used to calculate a route to the predetermined destination. The route overview module is used to create a route overview list that is based on the route to be traveled to reach the destination. The acoustic message module is operable to generate an acoustic route overview message based on the route overview list that is associated with the route. The acoustic route overview message is an audible summary of the route to be taken by the vehicle to reach the predetermined destination.
Once the acoustic message module generates the acoustic route overview message, it is audibly reproduced on at least one loudspeaker that is located in the vehicle. The acoustic route overview message is output in response to a request for a route overview that is entered by a user. The request for the route overview may be entered by pressing a button, by setting an option, or by audibly requesting a route overview. The route overview list that is generated by the route overview module may include at least one item that may be selected from a group of items including a street name on the route, a name of a place on the route, a via on the route, a city on the route, an alternative street name on the route, a business location on the route, and a landmark on the route.
The acoustic route overview message may be limited to a predetermined amount of time. The route overview list may be shortened based on a variety of weighting factors to fit within the predetermined amount of time. The weighting factor may be a function of a popularity ranking that may be associated with each item contained in the route overview list. The more popular an item is in the list the less likely it will be eliminated from the list. The predetermined weighting factor may also be based on a length of a road segment to be traveled on the route. The longer the road segment is the less likely that particular road segment will be eliminated from the acoustic route overview message. The acoustic route overview message may also include an anticipated time of arrival that is placed in the message by the acoustic message module.
The navigation system may also be designed in the form of a server-based solution. A navigation control unit may be connected to a navigation server by using a wireless access device. The wireless access device transmits data to and from the navigation control unit to the navigation server. The route to be traveled to reach the destination, the route overview list and the acoustic route overview message may all be accomplished on the navigation server. The navigation server performs most of the computing tasks and stores a map database and an acoustic message database that are used during operation.
Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the following claims.